Fingerplays, Songs & Activities I m a Kite I m a kite (put hands above head in point) Way up high (stand on tiptoes) Twisting, dipping (twist and dip) In the sky. In hard winds, I twirl around. (spin in circle) With no wind, I tumble down. Kites (sung to 99 Bottles ) Four kites up in the air Four kites in the air One kite flew too close to a tree. Now the kite s stuck there. Repeat with three, two & one. Then sing: Four kites up in a tree Four kites in a tree The wind blew hard & harder still. The kites fell down to me. (Sing a Song of Storytime, p. 110) Bunny His little nose went wriggle, wriggle (wiggle nose) Looking at him made me giggle. (giggle) Then I saw more bunnies (Storytime Year, p. 43) Apples Juicy, red apples Hanging on the trees Yummy in my tummy Bring me some, please Sweet, yellow apples Hanging on the trees Yummy in my tummy Bring me some, please Tart, green apples Hanging on the trees Yummy in my tummy Bring me some, please (Sing a Song of Storytime, p. 13) Hands Go Hands go shake, shake, shake. Hands go clap, clap, clap. Hands go roll, roll, roll. Hands go in your lap. I went walking one spring day, I saw a bunny out at play. His little legs went hop, hop, hop (make hopping motion with hand) His little ears went flop, flop, flop (put hands over head, flop them forward)
Page 2 I ve Got Wiggles I ve got wiggles inside of me. They want to get out, as you will see. Silly wiggles inside of me. I wiggle my shoulders. I wiggle my toes. I wiggle my knees and I wiggle my nose. Still more wiggles inside of me. I wiggle my fingers. I wiggle my hips. I wiggle my head and I wiggle my lips. Still more wiggles inside of me. I wiggle down low. I wiggle up high. And now I wave my wiggles good-bye. No more wiggles inside of me. (Sing a Song of Storytime, p. 34) Spring is Here (sung to Are You Sleeping? ) I see flowers, I see bird s nests, Butterflies, rainy skies, Everything is growing, The wind is gently blowing. Spring is here, spring is here. (Sing a Song of Storytime, p. 126) Oh, I See a Butterfly (tune in handout) Oh, I see a butterfly Way up high in the sky Butterfly. Landed on my hand and nose On my tummy, on my toes Butterfly (Sing a Song of Storytime, p. 43) Wave Your Rainbow (Sing to the tune of Yankee Doodle ) Red and orange and yellow and green, (have children point to appropriate color) Then there s blue and purple. Wave your rainbow, wave your rainbow, (do motions as indicated) Wave your pretty rainbow. Chorus: Hold your rainbow way up high. Wave your pretty rainbow. Make it arc across the sky. Yes, wave your pretty rainbow. Wave your rainbow to one side. Then wave it to the other. Wave your rainbow up and down. Yes, wave your pretty rainbow. Repeat chorus Wave your rainbow fast, fast, fast. Wave your rainbow slowly. Wave it while you spin around. Yes, wave your pretty rainbow. Repeat chorus Repeat first verse. (Sing a Song of Storytime, p. 133) Flying, flying all around Gently landing on the ground Butterfly Flying high and flying low Flying fast and flying slow Butterfly
Page 3 I Like My Bike (Have children repeat each line. Start with chorus and repeat it between each verse. End by repeating chorus several times, getting softer and softer.) Chorus: My bike, my bike, I like my bike Verses: It has two wheels And is bright green. The neatest bike I've ever seen. It has three gears And handlebars. I ride it near. I ride it far. It has a bell That goes bring, bring. I'd not trade it For anything. (Sing a Song of Storytime, p. 152) We Are Going on a Bike Ride (sung to "I Am Slowly Going Crazy") We are going on a bike ride. Wheels on the bike go round and round. Steer it straight and pedal steady, But now look what we found. Say: Pothole (dip hands quickly downward) Bumps (move hands quickly upward) Branches (move hands to side, as if swerves from branch) Hill (move hands upward and slow rolling motion of hands, then move downward and speed up rolling motion) (Sing a Song of Storytime, p. 135) Lollipops (sung to One Elephant ) Four lollipops for me to pick. I pick the red one and lick, lick, lick. I lick slow and I lick quick. Now all that s left is a sticky stick. (Ick!- spoken) Repeat with yellow, orange and purple. No lollipops for me to pick. That s ok cause I feel sick! (Ick!-spoken) Ten little cookies Ten little cookies laying on a plate. Mom eats two, then there are eight. When Dad comes home, two cookies he picks Leaving on the plate only six. Brother comes home, slamming the door. He eats two cookies, then there are four. When Sister comes home, there are still a few. She eats a couple, then there are two. Baby wakes up. His nap is done. He eats a cookie, then there s one. The cat jumps on the table and eats the last one. The poor dog is too late. He only gets a crumb. 1. Make cookies out of construction paper or tagboard. Make a small crumb, too. Put magnets on the back of each. 2. Before saying the fingerplay, draw a circle on the magnetic board to represent the plate. Place the cookies on the board with the crumb underneath one of them. Remove the correct number of cookies mentioned in each verse. (Storytime Year, p. 238)
Page 4 Aikendrum There was a man lived in the moon, In the moon, in the moon. There was a man lived in the moon And his name was Aikendrum. His hair was made of cotton candy, Cotton candy, cotton candy. His hair was made of cotton candy And his name was Aikendrum. Continue with other features (Sing a Song of Storytime, p. 137) Grapes Four bunches of grapes hanging on a vine, (hold up 4 fingers) Plump and purple and looking mighty fine! (make circle with hands) Reach right out and pick a bunch. (reach out with hand, pretend to pick) Take them home. Get them ready for lunch. (cup hands to carry grapes) Pop em in your mouth, mouth, mouth. (make tossing motion toward mouth) Pop em in your mouth. Mmm, mmm, good! Repeat stanza 1 & 2, change to three Mash em for grape jam, grape jam, grape jam. Mash em for grape jam. Mmm, mmm, good! Reach right out and pick that one. (reach out with hand, pretend to pick) Lay it out in the hot, hot sun. (make circle above head with arms) Now they re shriveling, shriveling, shriveling Hey, now they re raisins! Mmm, mmm, good! Ball of Fur I have a little ball of fur. (make ball with hands) When I pet it, hear her purr. (rub fist with hand, purr) (www.susanmdailey.com) Pretend to Be a Kitty Pretend to be a kitty And make a kitty sound. Pretend to be a kitty And bat a ball around. Pretend to be a kitty. Wash your paws and face. Pretend to be a kitty And curl up in your place. Repeat stanza 1 & 2, change to two Squeeze em for grape juice, grape juice, grape juice. Squeeze em for grape juice. Mmm, mmm, good! Repeat stanza 1, change to one
Page 5 Kitty Cat, Pounce (creep fingers) Sneaks out of the house. Creeps up to a mouse And pounce! (make jumping motion with fingers) (creep fingers) Creeps up to a bird. Is not even heard And pounce! (make jumping motion with fingers) But the mouse ran (make fingers run ) And the bird flew away (flap hands) So kitty cat, kitty cat finds A ball of yarn (make circle with hands) To play pounce! (make jumping motion with fingers) Bingo There was a farmer had a dog And Bingo was his name-o. B-I-N-G-O, B-I-N-G-O, B-I-N-G-O, And Bingo was his name-o. (Sing a Song of Storytime, p. 144) Clown Face Start with the circle. It s the face. Give him two eyes in the right place. Add some hair on each side. Give him a mouth, big and wide. Add a tie and a nose that s round. You just made a funny clown! ~Susan Dailey (Sing a Song of Storytime, p. 35) Some Dogs Bark Some dogs bark. (make appropriate noises) Some dogs growl. Some dogs yip. Some dogs howl. And some dogs just wag their tail. (Storytime Year, p. 187)
Page 6 Source for Stories Told Asch, Frank. Monkey Face. Illustrated by author. Parents Magazine Press, 1977. (a similar story is told in Bread and Honey, also by Frank Asch.) Dailey, Susan M And Always Put Your Napkin on Your Lap. from A Storytime Year, p. 194 Dailey, Susan M. Just Right for a Kite. www.susanmdailey.com Suggested Books Downs, Mike. You See a Circus, I See--. Illustrated by Anik McGrory. Charlesbridge, 2005. Feiffer, Jules. Bark, George. Illustrated by author. HarperCollins, 1999. Gelman, Rita Golden. Pizza Pat. Illustrated by Will Terry. Random House, 1999. Grossman, Bill. My Little Sister Ate One Hare. Illustrated by Kevin Hawkes. Crown, 1996. Henkes, Kevin. Kitten s First Full Moon. Illustrated by author. Greenwillow, 2004. Hubbell, Patricia. Hurray for Spring! Illustrated by Taia Morley. NorthWood Press, 2005. Hutchins, Pat. The Doorbell Rang. Illustrated by author. Greenwillow, 1986. Lin, Grace. Kite Flying. Illustrated by author. Knopf, 2002. McFarland, Lyn Rossiter. Widget. Illustrated by Jim McFarland. Farrar, 2001. Meyers, Susan. Kittens! Kittens! Kittens! Illustrated by David Walker. Abrams, 2007. Ray, Mary Lyn. Mud. Illustrated by Lauren Stringer. Harcourt Brace, 1996. Shannon, David. Duck on a Bike. Illustrated by author. Scholastic, 2002. Walter, Virginia. Hi, Pizza Man! Illustrated by Ponder Goembel. Orchard, 1995.
Page 7 Alligator Hold arms out in front of body. Clap hands in up and down chomping motion. Butterfly (silent) Make circular motions with hands, but have hands miss each other. Cheerleader Clap hands together once. Make fists even with shoulders, then raise fists in air, saying Hur-ray! Clam Put palms of hands together. Clap in up and down motion with hands. Drum roll Quickly slap hands against legs in alternating motion. Finish with cymbal crash by clapping hands once together. Fireworks Place hands together in praying hands position. Move hands back and forth while moving upward. Make whirring sound. Clap hands once over head. Wiggle fingers and bring them downward while saying ahhh! Grandfather Clock Clap hands while moving them back and forth. Happy flea Clap with thumb and index finger only. High five Hold hands over head, slap hands together once. Hug and kiss yourself Do the appropriate motions while saying: Give yourself a hug and a squeeze And a kiss on the knees. Kiss your brain Kiss fingers, then place them on head. Queen Lightly clap one hand against palm of other. Round of Applause Clap while moving hands in a circular motion. Seal Clap hands against side of legs. Train Start by clapping hands slowly and get faster, end by making train whistle sound.